I freaking love Conan. Even though I wasn't a fan of his Tonight Show, I did watch him often at 12:30:

Quote:

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

Yours,

Conan

(from the NY Times article link above)

A class act :clap

ETA: I think NBC may have effectively killed a late night franchise. Even if they put Leno back in place in his old job, I think a lot of people have been put off by the treatment that Conan was given. I know I wouldn't watch Leno after this, even if I ever did to begin with. Johnny Carson is rolling over in his grave....of course, he wanted Dave to get the job when he retired....

01-12-2010, 06:25 PM

dagwood

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

I loved the line at the end apologizing for his hair. :lol

I am not a fan of Conan, but he is handling this with class, good for him. He is the main victim in all of this.

NBC needs to fire all the idiots responsible for this whole debacle.

01-12-2010, 06:44 PM

ClosetRTWatcher

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagwood;3794257;

I loved the line at the end apologizing for his hair. :lol

I thought that was really funny too!

I am not a big watcher of any late night talk shows. However, one night the TV got left on and I ended up watching a segment of Conan where he was talking about a road trip he took with his kids and how you can only listen to Hannah Montana for so long before the songs are permanently stuck in your head. At one point he busted out singing. It was so funny I was literally on the floor laughing! :rofl

I agree that he is handling the situation very well. He is really the only one with the right to be angry about this move!

01-12-2010, 06:47 PM

BritLit

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Of course, Conan can afford to be gracious. He has a "buyout" clause in his contract that's going to give him forty million dollars.:) (some have the figure as high as eighty million)

I think NBC's stupidity is going to land them at the bottom of the "late night" heap. It was a bone-headed move to ever take "Tonight" away from Jay. He was beating "Letterman" handily every night and making mucho bucks for the network. Conan's shtick is just too similar (and not nearly as clever) to Letterman's--he was never going to hold his own against Dave.

And what about Jimmy Fallon? I don't watch regularly, but what I've seen has been delightful!

Note to NBC: If you need me, just whistle!

01-12-2010, 06:58 PM

Critical

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClosetRTWatcher;3794273;

I agree that he is handling the
situation very well. He is really the only one with the right to be angry about this move!

:yeahthat And he's handling it with a lot of class, as opposed to Leno: [from his monologue last night]

Quote:

"I leave NBC prime time the same way I found it ... a complete disaster."

Talk about ungracious. Considering the fact that people are losing their jobs because of him, I'd think he would take the high road. Then again, this is Leno we're talking about. He's a nice man - I met him many years ago around the time he took over the show from Johnny, but he's ruthless in business.

I, for one, couldn't be happier about all this. It only means even better ratings for Letterman and Craig Ferguson. :up

01-12-2010, 08:17 PM

MotherSister

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

Oh, burn.

I don't watch late night TV because I am always asleep, but I've been on Team Coco since his days on The Simpsons. I think he's hilarious, and has always seemed like a good man; I'm rooting for him to come out on top in this. His statement is just the perfect touch of classy contempt, like a middle finger with a diamond ring on it.

Also, Conan. I love your hair.

01-12-2010, 08:33 PM

Missyboxers

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

NBC bungled this one from the get-go. They didn't want to lose Conan in 2004, so they promised him the show, presumably figuring Jay would be ready to step down. When it turns out he wasn't ready to leave television, they had give him a show to keep him from going to a competitor and competing against Conan. That hasn't worked, either. They tried to keep everyone, and it didn't work. This one's on NBC.

How the mighty have fallen. Just think, ten years ago they had ER, Frasier, Friends, Will and Grace, etc

And of course the good news gets better-- according to the Journal, they're expected to LOSE money on the Olympics. Just what they need, with all these pilots to develop!

01-12-2010, 08:43 PM

Mike'sgirl

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

Originally Posted by BritLit;3794277;

Of course, Conan can afford to be gracious. He has a "buyout" clause in his contract that's going to give him forty million dollars.:) (some have the figure as high as eighty million)

I think NBC's stupidity is going to land them at the bottom of the "late night" heap. It was a bone-headed move to ever take "Tonight" away from Jay. He was beating "Letterman" handily every night and making mucho bucks for the network. Conan's shtick is just too similar (and not nearly as clever) to Letterman's--he was never going to hold his own against Dave.

And what about Jimmy Fallon? I don't watch regularly, but what I've seen has been delightful!

Note to NBC: If you need me, just whistle!

I am curious about this "buy out" clause Brit...... if they offer him this lame deal of starting later, and he refuses (which he has) he still is entitled to the 40 Mill? Because NBC changed the terms of his contract, he can walk off with the loot..... Not bad, but I still appreciate his feelings expressed in the letter to fans.

I am a fan of Conan, and enjoyed Leno on the Tonight show, but was not interested enough in his new show/slot to ever watch Leno again. That he gets to squeeze Conan out of his job may be viewed by some as "That's show business", but I think it stinks. :mmm

01-12-2010, 09:09 PM

Broadway

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missyboxers;3794394;

And of course the good news gets better-- according to the Journal, they're expected to LOSE money on the Olympics. Just what they need, with all these pilots to develop!

That was one of Conan's jokes last night.... "Does anyone else think this is as hilarious as I do???" and then he giggled like a schoolgirl. :lol

01-12-2010, 10:15 PM

babyfat101

Re: Jay Leno's New Show

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike'sgirl;3794405;

I am curious about this "buy out" clause Brit...... if they offer him this lame deal of starting later, and he refuses (which he has) he still is entitled to the 40 Mill? Because NBC changed the terms of his contract, he can walk off with the loot..... Not bad, but I still appreciate his feelings expressed in the letter to fans.

take this for what it's worth, but i read somewhere [i think tmz] that if he walks, he gets his $20 million/yr, but if he goes to 12.05 then the contract is up for renegotiations. i was shocked that he's making $20 mil a year. nothing against him personally, but the amount actors and prof athletes make is out of control.